Shota's Isekai NTR Adventure Chapter 2052: Underground world

Once those lines showed up, I commanded the royal guards to stick with me.

Instead of heading toward the array, our group shifted in the reverse direction away from it.

I recognized it as the opposite side because the lines' path was visible to me.

Running diagonally, they indicated one side much smaller than the rest. Undoubtedly, that compact area marked the array's interior, with the lines directing toward the remaining nodes.

These formations traced out the array's pattern.

Without knowing the array's purpose, staying clear of its inner zone was the smartest move.

Right then, the lines kept extending outward along their spreading paths.

How much farther would these lines reach?

A more pressing query: what was the true scale of this array?

Eyeing the lines alone offered no clue about its eventual size.

That's when I glanced at Klein to issue a command, only to notice him already directing the other royal guards.

The approach we'd taken to arrive here matched our usual travel methods elsewhere.

Thus, upon Klein's instructions, the royal guards swiftly readied the wyverns for departure. They understood that viewing the full array required rising into the air above it.

With their initiative clear, I stayed silent and climbed onto Joan's back.

Having such competent underlings who anticipated orders truly proved invaluable, especially in high-stakes moments like these, cutting down on precious time.

Mounted on the wyverns, we promptly soared upward without delay.

Naturally, we ascended straight up, avoiding any forward progress to steer clear of the array's reach. Uncertain of its nature, we couldn't assume the overhead space lay outside its influence.

Avoiding potential risks remained the wisest choice.

As we climbed ever higher, greater portions of the array came into view, revealing it as no minor formation. The extensive spread of lines suggested a grand-scale array etched across this wild expanse.

Yet it stayed confined within the wilderness boundaries, focusing solely here.

This sight sparked a thought in my mind...

"Might this array explain why the land stays unhealed, locked in barren desolation for so long? If true, could it be the very challenge destined for me?"

Handling Destruction's forces or god-linked matters was one challenge, but this unfamiliar array stood apart entirely.

Though its divine energy tied it to the gods, that knowledge left me clueless on dismantling it or its effects.

Facing this array, I felt utterly powerless.

Fortunately, it didn't appear designed to hold the land in check.

With the array fully formed, a concentration built at its heart.

Divine energy flowed from various nodes straight to the array's core. This buildup hinted at an event unfolding there to draw in such power.

Good or ill, that remained to unfold...

Soon enough, the divine energy finished accumulating.

Yet the outcome fell short of expectations.

No grand spectacle erupted; merely a vivid burst of light emanated from the array's center.

This glow suggested some process had concluded within, though from our vantage, details escaped us. My keen perception still couldn't discern the events below.

Following that lone brilliant flare, the divine energy seemed utterly consumed by an unseen force.

Though invisible, I sensed it stemmed from whatever emerged at the array's center—the sole explanation for the formation's sudden vanishing.

But what exactly had materialized?

After brief uncertainty, I signaled the royal guards to trail me as we descended toward the array's middle.

Upon touching down, an object came into sight.

It hadn't existed prior, absent until the array's activation brought it forth.

Despite originating from divine energy, it appeared rather ordinary.

Simply a staircase descending beneath the earth.

Pausing briefly, I disregarded caution and the guards' warnings, proceeding downward.

The tunnel proved short, quickly unveiling what lay ahead.

"Is this an underground world?"